ECAR
Fact Sheet for
Washington
Waste Tires
 
Regulations
Self-Audit Checklist
Best Management Practices
Contacts
Related ECAR Fact Sheets
Other Relevant Resources
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The
following fact sheet was prepared by the ECAR Center staff. Once
prepared, each ECAR Center fact sheet undergoes a review process
with the applicable state environmental agency(ies). You can check
on the status of the review process here.
Please read the disclaimer on the status page. While we have tried
to present a summary of the essential information on this topic,
you should be aware that other items, such as local regulations,
may apply to you.
What You Need to Know
Disposal of scrap tires is one of
the biggest solid waste issues facing automotive recyclers. Scrap
tires pose a significant threat to public health and the environment.
Scrap tire piles provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which
may cause disease, and they also present a serious fire hazard.
This fact sheet will help you manage
the tires stored at your facility and how to remove properly.
Regulations
Automotive recycling facilities that
store more than 800 tires must obtain a Solid Waste Permit through
the Department of Ecology. You must also adhere to the requirements
contained in Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
173-350. Some of those requirements
are outlined below:
- Have communication capabilities
to immediately summon fire, police, or other emergency service
personnel in the event of an emergency;
- Control public access to prevent
arson, unauthorized vehicular traffic and illegal dumping of wastes;
- Protected waste tires from any
material or conditions which may cause them to ignite;
- Limit the total quantity of waste
tires stored on-site at any time to the amount permitted by the
jurisdictional health department;
- Provide on-site fire control equipment
sufficient to extinguish any fire reasonably possible from one
individual pile of waste tires. Fire control equipment may include,
but is not limited to:
(A) Automatic sprinkler protection;
(B) Fire hydrants, hoses and ancillary equipment;
(C) Portable fire extinguishers; and
(D) Material-handling equipment capable of moving tires during
fire fighting operations;
- Provide vector control;
- Issue written receipts upon receiving
loads of waste tires;
- Prepare and submit a copy of an
annual report to the jurisdictional health department and the
Department of Ecology by April 1st on forms supplied by the department.
The annual report shall detail the facility activities during
the previous calendar year and shall include the following information:
(A) Name and address of the facility;
(B) Calendar year covered by the report;
(C) Annual quantity of tires, in tons;
(D) Annual quantity of tires removed from the facility and end
use, in tons;
- Develop, keep and abide by a plan
of operation approved as part of the permitting process.
Removal. Old tires can be
recycled or disposed of by contracting for removal with a registered
scrap tire hauler or registering yourself as a hauler and taking
them to a registered facility that will process the tire for use
in making shoes, belts, floor mats, carpet padding, and road fill
for asphalt paving, or tire-derived fuel. If the tire casing is
in good shape, retreading is another option for used tires.
Links to the Regulations. Use
the following links to view the regulations pertaining to scrap
tire management.
Washington
Administrative Code (WAC) 173-350 referring to Waste Tire Management
Waste
Tire Storage Site Checklist for Permit Application
Self-Audit
Checklist
When an inspector comes to your facility,
there are certain things they he or she checks to see if you are
in compliance with environmental regulations. It makes good sense
for you to perform a "self-audit" and catch and correct problems
before they result in penalties. Also, there are some compliance
incentives associated with self-audits (see Audit
Policy Page).
Use the following list to audit your
scrap tire storage areas and management procedures.
- Where are scrap tires transported
for disposal/recycling? Make sure your hauler has a valid
state permit as a scrap tire hauler. Also, make sure the tires
are being taken to an authorized recycler or disposal facility.
- How many tires are stored?
Verify whether your facility falls under the state requirements
for registration and other rules.
Best
Management Practices (BMPs)
Most regulations tell you what you
have to do to be in compliance, but they don’t explain how to do
it. That’s where "best management practices" come into play.
BMPs are proven methods that help you to get into compliance and
stay there. The following BMPs are recommended for scrap tire storage
areas and management procedures.
- Store as few scrap tires as possible
at your facility.
- Schedule regular pickup for scrap
tires by a properly permitted hauler.
- Keep tires stored indoors, if
possible, or keep tire piles covered in order to prevent entrapment
of water.
- Store waste tires in a sunny area
to allow evaporation of standing water and to kill heat-intolerant
mosquito larvae.
- If scrap tires cannot be processed
in a timely manner, leave scrap tires on the rims to avoid problems
with mosquitoes until the scrap tires can be managed properly.
- Do not burn or bury scrap tires.
Contacts
- For more information on tire recycling
and scrap tire regulations, contact Washington’s Department of
Ecology Solid Waste Division Regional
Office.
- Office of Permit Assistance at
1-800-917-0043.
- To report an environmental incident
or complaint, contact the nearest Ecology
Regional Office.
Related
ECAR Fact Sheets
None.
Other
Relevant Resources
- Waste
Tire Storage Site Checklist for Permit Application
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